Priced below the RM80,000 mark, can the CX70 sell in Malaysia?
You’d be forgiven for never having heard of Kaicene. It is actually Changan Automobile’s commercial vehicle arm that has just recently made its mark into the passenger vehicles segment in the Philippines with the launch of the new 2022 CX70.
Before we delve further into the CX70, it is worth noting that the SUV is distributed in the country by Berjaya Auto Asia, which is one of the automotive businesses owned by Berjaya Philippines Inc. Since Berjaya Philippines’ ultimate parent is Berjaya Corporation Berhad of Malaysia, it is perhaps not too much to say that there is a small chance that a right-hand version of the CX70 could come here.
That is, of course, if Changan decides there is sufficient demand for a seven-seat Chinese SUV here and if Berjaya is willing to spend their money for the right-hand drive conversion.
Now, back to CX70. Admittedly, its exterior design will not make one burst in excitement but with a total length of 4,705 mm, width of 1,800 mm, height of 1,775 mm and wheelbase of 2,780 mm, there is no shortage of room for the passengers. To give a clearer picture, the CX70 is slightly longer and taller than the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, with a wheelbase that is just 7 mm shorter than that of the German SUV.
Inside, there are three rows of seats, with a 60:40 split-folding centre bench and a 50:50 split-folding seats in the third row. With both the second- and third-row seats folded down, you’ll have a massive overall cargo space of 3,810 litres.
The list of creature comforts is rather extensive. It includes an 11-inch infotainment touchscreen with Bluetooth, six speakers, 12V sockets in the front and third row, touch-sensitive control panel for the air-conditioning system, tilt/telescopic steering wheel, passive keyless entry, push-start button, leatherette upholstery and a sunroof.
Under the bonnet is an all-aluminium 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that generates a decent 150 hp at 5,500 rpm and 230 Nm of torque from 2,000 to 4,000 rpm. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an Aisin six-speed automatic transmission. The website claims the powertrain offers a fuel consumption of 7.6 litres per 100 km.
Its safety system comprises dual airbags, ABS with EBD, Traction Control, Hill-Hold Control, reverse camera, parking sensors, blind-spot camera as well as ISOFIX child seat anchors.
The 2022 Kaicene CX70 is priced at 879,000 Philippine pesos (about RM71,935) and comes standard with a three-year/100,000-km warranty.
